


America the Beautiful

by calamariqueen



Series: Burst [1]
Category: Final Space (Cartoon)
Genre: Childhood Trauma, Minor Character Death, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-22
Updated: 2018-06-22
Packaged: 2019-05-27 02:24:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15014594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/calamariqueen/pseuds/calamariqueen
Summary: A “prequel” to Supernova.





	America the Beautiful

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve been writing so much Gary angst lately, why must I make characters suffer so much..
> 
> But yeah, I wanted to expand on the Fourth of July Party idea that I implied in Supernova. I hope y’all enjoy some of that good ol’ angstspeed!

**_Gary sat on the grass, a drink in hand._ ** ****_  
_ It was an event that his college friends had dragged him to, telling him that it’d be an experience of a lifetime.   
Some of them were locals to the area, and hyped up the event to insanity.   
After a few days of trying to convince Gary to come with them, it was only until the day before the event itself that Gary gave in and decided to come.   
He felt like he needed a breather from the rush that college exams had brought onto him the last few days before break, so this was a good opportunity to relax and have fun.   
  
“ _ It’s starting! _ ”   
  
“ _ Look at the firework, daddy _ !”   
  
**A shrill noise** .   
  
Gary jumped a bit, as he looked at the firework shoot up into the air. Everyone around looked at it in awe, and the firework burst into a bright red as everyone cheered.   
The child next to giggled, and the parents cuddled them as they watch the firework happily.   
  
_ He wished his dad was here _ -   
  
**BOOM** !   
  
Gary’s heart began to race. His breathing began to quicken, but he was able to lower it just a tad.   
He didn’t want to panic here of all places, in front of people who didn’t really know what he struggled with.   
They’d probably think he was insane if he told them. Hell, he’d probably go insane himself just talking about it.   
Just talking about it even to his therapist left his stomach in knots.   
  
**BOOM** !   
  
A trio of fireworks burst into the air in an assortment of colors.   
It almost looked like an explosion-   
No, it was an explosion.   
  
Gary felt like all the air was being sucked out of his body. His body began to shake as the world around him became deafened. He look up to the sky and saw a rocket.   
  
**_A rocket with his father in it._ ** ****_  
_   
“ **D-Dad** ..”    
  
He stood up, and watched as it soared into the air.   
And then, it happened.   
  
The rocket imploded in front of his eyes.   
He could see debris scatter across the water, and a blinding explosion at the wake of it all.   
  
He screamed, and fell onto his knees. He wrapped his arms around himself as he body shook and his breathing became abnormally rapid.   
  
**_But in the end, what he saw wasn’t real_ ** .   
  
A fabrication of an episode, his own trauma playing tricks on him.   
-   
Gary bolted awake, and took a deep breath.   
He looked around, and noticed something.   
He wasn’t outside anymore.   
Rather, he was laying on a bench, the small group of friends staring at him in worry.   
  
“ **Gary** !”   
  
Gary soon began to realize the situation, and sighed.   
**_He’d had an episode_ ** .   
  



End file.
